Xinbin Pujue Temple

Xinbin Pujue Temple

Xinbin Pujue Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Pujue Temple is situated approximately 20 meters northwest inside the south gate of the inner city of Hetu Ala. It was first built in the 43rd year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1615), and is one of the seven major temples of the early Later Jin Kingdom, the first Guan Yu Temple of the Qing Dynasty, and one of the main surviving ancient architectural complexes in Hetu Ala City. It reflects the religious beliefs of the Manchu people as well as features and cultural meanings of their architectural art, painting art, and sculpture art, and holds significant historical, scientific, and artistic value.

The temple enclosure is 35 meters wide from east to west and 51 meters long from north to south, covering an area of 1,785 square meters. It has a two-courtyard layout. The original structures, from front to back, included the Horse Hall (Mountain Gate), Bell and Drum Towers, Guan Yu Hall, East and West Side Rooms (lecture hall, kitchen, guest room), Buddha Hall, and East and West Meditation Halls — a total of nine buildings with a construction area of 593.43 square meters. In front of the Mountain Gate are flagpole stone bases.

The Horse Hall, also known as the Mountain Gate, is a flush-gable roof building made of blue bricks and tiles. It is 8.5 meters wide and 6.5 meters deep, with a construction area of 55.25 square meters. The central bay serves as a passageway, while the side bays on the east and west house statues of Guan Yu’s mounts. The roof is adorned with ornamental ridge creatures. There are two corner gates on the east and west sides of the Horse Hall.

The Bell and Drum Towers are located at the southeast and southwest corners of the temple enclosure. They are hip-and-gable roofed, square-platform buildings with each side measuring 4.85 meters and a construction area of 23.52 square meters. The eastern tower is the Bell Tower, and the western one is the Drum Tower.

The Guan Yu Hall is situated in the center of the front courtyard. It is 10.90 meters wide and 10.20 meters deep, with a construction area of 111.18 square meters. This flush-gable roof building is constructed with blue bricks and tiles, and its roof is decorated with ridge ornaments. It features front and rear corridors, a three-step stairway with hanging railings, and a platform base that is 9.6 meters wide from east to west and 10 meters long from north to south. The hall enshrines a seated statue of Guan Yu with a beard, holding a military treatise. The east side chamber features statues of Ma Liang and Guan Ping, while the west side chamber has statues of Yu Ji and Zhou Cang — all standing figures.

The East and West Side Rooms are located on the eastern and western sides of the Guan Yu Hall, each consisting of three flush-gable roof rooms. They are 11 meters wide and 6.5 meters deep, with a construction area of 71.50 square meters. The eastern side is used as a kitchen and guest room, while the western side serves as a lecture hall.

The Buddha Hall is the final layer of the temple complex. It was added in the 33rd year of the Qianlong era (1768) and is a flush-gable roof building made of blue bricks and tiles, with a decorated roof. It is 17.60 meters wide and 9.20 meters deep, with a construction area of 161.92 square meters. It has a front corridor, and the rear corridor is contained within the interior space. The central bay enshrines the Sakyamuni Buddha, with Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas on the left and right. The east side chamber houses a statue of Guanyin, and the west side chamber enshrines Kṣitigarbha. The east and west side rooms are partitioned into separate spaces: the east side features the Nine Saints and the Eighteen Arhats, while the west side includes the Three Pure Ones.

The Meditation Halls are located on the east and west sides of the Buddha Hall. They were added in the 33rd year of the Qianlong era (1768) and are flush-gable roof buildings made of blue bricks and tiles. Each hall is 5.6 meters wide and 6.7 meters deep, with a construction area of 37.52 square meters.

In 1986, the temple was restored to its original appearance with funding from provincial and municipal governments. Today, the Mahavira Hall (rear hall) consists of five rooms, enshrining the Sakyamuni Buddha in the center, with Bhaisajyaguru Buddha on the left and Amitabha Buddha on the right. The east room houses the statue of Guanyin, and the west room enshrines Kṣitigarbha. The five Buddha statues are resplendent in gold, radiating the light of the Dharma. All temple buildings have been completely renovated, with the Mountain Gate and surrounding walls newly constructed, making it one of the important centers for Buddhist activities in Liaodong.

Scenic Area Address: Yongling Town, Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County, Fushun City, Liaoning Province

Transportation: Within Fushun City, take bus routes 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 22, 503, or 603 to the South Station; take routes 34, 36, 38, 807, or 8 to the North Station. From both the South and North Stations, take buses heading toward Yongling Town to arrive.

Self-driving Route: Take National Highway 202 northward from Fushun’s North Ring Road toward Xinbin and Qingyuan. Exit at Nan Zamu, then follow Provincial Highway 202 through Nie’erku, Muqi Town, Sidao Gou, Yongling Town, Laocheng Hebei, and turn right after 1.5 kilometers to reach the destination.